$75k matching grant offered to push Imagine No Malaria giving over the top

For the past three years, United Methodists in the Northwest have been supporting the work of Imagine No Malaria, and together we’ve raised over a million dollars for this worthy cause. Thank you so, so much!!! Malaria’s death rate among African children has been reduced by 70% since we started this journey. Your gifts have saved lives.

For many campaigns, giving comes in fits and bursts but tends to weaken over time. We have seen the opposite with this Imagine No Malaria campaign. As they learn more, people have become more inspired. As they see our efforts together delivering results, they become more connected. This is the church at its best!

We are so thrilled to share that we have received an opportunity to go over the top to end malaria. An anonymous donor from a church in the Pacific Northwest Conference is offering to match donations received in our Greater Northwest Episcopal Area between April 25th (World Malaria Day) and June 25th, up to $75k! They want to inspire above-and-beyond giving so that we EXCEED our goal!

Why should we give more when we’ve already met our goal? Our donor offered these words to explain their motivation.

“When our children were young, they had major medical issues. We remember the terror we felt when we first heard the news. And we remember our profound gratitude to God when the doctors told us they would make a full recovery.

As followers of Jesus, we dream of abundant life for everyone, no matter where they live, no matter how much money they have. We want to work for a world where joyful gratitude, not terror, fills the heart of every person who cares for their children.

With God’s help, we believe we can help fulfill Jesus’ promise of abundant life for everyone. We hope you will join us as The United Methodist Church walks this talk through the work of Imagine No Malaria!”

From left: Bishop Grant Hagiya and the Rev. Jon Short were “netted” to raise funds for INM at the PNW Annual Conference.

In response to this new opportunity to give over the top, Bishop Grant Hagiya offered these words of encouragement: “We hope that your congregation will join us in matching, and maybe even exceeding, this heartfelt gift of generosity. Our Imagine No Malaria campaign is saving lives each and every day. When we come together, United Methodists can truly change the world.”

This year, World Malaria Day, is April 25th. This day is set aside to remember that approximately 438,000 people are killed by this preventable disease each year. For us, it marks the start of this matching opportunity but we hope that you will use it, or any event/day of your choosing between April 25th and June 25th, to take this extra step with us for this worthy cause!

Whenever possible please give directly through the Imagine No Malaria website. This will expedite the process of tracking gifts for the purpose of this matching opportunity. The website for Imagine No Malaria is: www.imaginenomalaria.org You can also mail donations to: UMC – Imagine No Malaria, P O Box 440544, Nashville, TN 37244

Patrick Scriven is a husband who married well, a father of three amazing girls, and a seminary educated lay person working professionally in church. Patrick serves the PNW Conference as Director of Communications and Young People's Ministries. He blogs over at After.Church